Pocketknife



Jan. 27, 1942. a. M. SCHRADE POCKETKNIFE Filed April 15, 1941 Patented Jan. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POCKETKNIFE George M. Schrade, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application April 15, 1941, Serial No. 388,577

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in pocket knives and has particular relation to improvements in the type of pocket knife disclosed in Patent 1,600,602. issued Sep tember 21, 1926, to George Schrade.

An object of the invention is to provide a pocket knife of inexpensive construction and which includes a handle composed of a single length of rather heavy gauge wire, means being provided for cooperation between the blade and the handle of the knife whereby lateral pressure on the one or the other will not cause any relative lateral movement of such parts.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing Fig. l is a side elevational view of the knife of the invention with the blade thereof in open position and showing also, by dotted lines, the position of the blade when closed;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the knife with the blade in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the knife as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the knife with the blade closed;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view showing the construction at the pivoted end of the handle and blade with one side of the handle omitted;

Fig. 6 is a top view of one end portion of the back of the handle; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken as along the line 1-1 of Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing the knife of the invention includes a handle generally designated l and a blade generally designated ll. Handle ID comprises a single length of rather heavy gauge wire bent upon itself intermediate its ends as at l3 and then including two substantially parallel spring arms 14 comprising a spring back for the knife handle.

At the forward ends of the arms [4 the wire is bent or looped upwardly as at l and then carried along over the back M to provide a pair of side portions or members IS the forward ends of which are flattened as at H. The arms or side members l6 may be carried inwardly intermediate their ends to provide finger pockets l8 whereby the blade may be firmly gripped when opening the knife.

Arms 14 are arranged close to one another and adjacent the bend l3 are swedged or otherwise treated to provide them with flattened portions IS. The side members I6 of the handle are spaced apart so that a pocket 2i) is formed between them for the reception of the blade II when the knife is closed. Blade II is pivotally mounted as by a rivet 2i passing through the flattened end portions I"! of the side members It and the blade is movable on this pivot, as suggested in Fig. 1, from a closed position within the handle to the fully open position extending from one end of the handle.

Blade II may be of the desired construction but is provided with the usual squares at its pivoted end. That is the blade includes the back square 22, the run-up 23, tang end 24 and a front square 25. A notch 26 in the outer surface of the transverse end portion of the back It is of a width to receive a portion of the blade runup 23 when the blade is in open position as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. To strengthen the notched end of the back [4 I spot-weld the arms l4 together at a point near the bend l3, as at 21, whereby to prevent breaking of the back when a heavy lateral pressure is applied to the blade through the handle.

A sheet metal guard 28 may be inserted between the side members it and preferably is somewhat U-shaped in transverse section (see Fig. 7) whereby to prevent the fingers of an operator from entering between the back it and the side members lb and being cut or pinched as the knife blade is being closed.

In using the knife it will be apparent that l the blade may be opened and closed in much the usual manner. The back It of the wire handle provides the required spring for maintaining the blade in open and closed positions and when the blade is open its rup-up 23 enters the notch 26. This locks the blade and handle together against relative lateral movement such as might be caused, if the blade were not held as described, by a lateral pressure when the blade is being forced to take a heavy cut. The handle parts I! through which the rivet 21 passes being on the ends of the side members 16 a heavy lateral pressure on the open blade will tend to move the same laterally out of position. In the described construction any such movement is prevented by the interengagement of the run-up 23 of the blade in the notch 26 of the back 14.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A pocket knife including a handle and a blade, said handle comprising a single piece of wire folded upon itself to form a spring back having a closed loop end for engagement of the edge portions of the hinged end of the blade, including two side members forming the handle, the loop including substantially parallel side portions welded together adjacent the loop to form a bearing surface against which the blade is operatively supported, said handle further including adjacently positioned wire ends, a pivot stud mounted by said ends and supporting the blade, said loop including a transverse outer end portion, and a notch in such outer end portion and positioned to receive a portion of the blade adjacent its pivoted end when the blade is open to prevent relative lateral movement of the blade and handle back during a cutting operation.

2. A pocket knife including a handle and a blade, said handle comprising a single length of Wire folded upon itself to form a spring back having a closed loop end for engagement of the edge portions of the hinged end of the blade, including two side members forming the handle, the loop including a portion forming a bearing surface against which the blade is operatively supported, said handle further including adjacently positioned wire ends, a pivot stud mounted by said ends and supporting the blade, said loop including a transverse outer end portion, and a notch in such outer end portion and positioned to receive a portion of the blade adjacent its pivoted end when the blade is open to prevent relative lateral movement of the blade and handle back during a cutting operation.

GEORGE M. SCI-IRADE. 

